Electric current wave handling



Oct. 25, 1938. H. R. FOWLER ELECTRIC CURRENT WAVE HANDLING Filed Jline 23, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I l I I aw l Get. 25, 1938. H. R. FOWLER 2,133,980

ELECTRIC CURRENT WAVE HANDLING Filed June 25, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 mm mm Patented Oct. 25, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application June 23,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to features of adaptation and control responsive to frequency of oscillation of electric energy.

This invention has utility when incorporated in electric circuits, especially as having phases which may be of alternating and pulsating types, by effecting circuit breaking change in conductors at such proximity to neutral point of the voltage that loss therefrom is negligible and with practically total absence of sparking and arcing difllculties. In fact, the neutral point has been so closely approached as to bring within 1% of the voltage.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an elevation, with parts broken away, of an embodiment of the electric energy control embodying neutral finder hereunder;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line II-II, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line III-III, Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a partial section on the line 1VIV, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a section on the line VV, Fig. 3, omitting the roller and its mounting;

Fig. 6 is a detail view of a multiple arm roller carrier;

Fig. 7 is a view of a six arm carrier, instead of four as in Fig. 6, with the group of contact segments therefor;

Fig. 8 is a graph of separations in sequence for power consuming circuit means sppplied by the 30 finder herein;

Fig. 9 is a section through a machine diagrammatically shown in which the shaft and conductor elements thereon rotate as to the rollers;

Fig. 10 is a view from the right of Fig. 9;

Fig. 11 is a fragmentary end view of a frame for the device of Fig. 9;

Fig. 12 is a view on the line XlI-XII, Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a view on the line XIII-XIII, Fig. 12; and

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary detail in which the roller is positively driven to insure rotating peripheral contact with the shaft mounted elements.

Frame 1 is shown provided with thrust bearing 2 for shaft 3 of synchronous motor 4. The motor .3 4 is mounted in ring 5 having handle 6 to eflect angular shifting thereof. Set screw 1 may be set to hold the motor 4 in the adjustment. Insulation cylinders 8 are rotatably mounted in rings 9 from the frame I. Ring l0 fixed with the cylinder 8 has handle II which may be effective for angularly shifting the cylinder 8 as to the frame. When so shifted, set screw I2 may be adjusted to hold the cylinder in such adjustment.

The cylinder 8 has central inward stiflening or 1936, Serial No. 86,780 (Cl.1'I5-364) reinforcing ring l3. Adjacent one end, the cylinder I interior is provided with power current supply-ring l4 annularly continuous with gap partially therethrough filled with insulation block 15 so that the ring and face are continuom. Adiacent this ring I 4 is power consuming circuit terminal segment I6 providing an arc face inward parallel to and adjacent a portion of the ring I 4. This segment 16 is spaced from complementary similar arcuate segment I! by insulation break or blocks ll registering with the blocks IS. The ring l4 has supply current terminal I. The segment [6 has delivery current terminal 20 and the segment H has consuming current terminal 2|.

The supply, say single phase electric current by line 22 to the terminal it may be completed through line 23 to terminal 24 to ring 25, similar to the ring l4. Adjacent thereto in the cylinder 8 are segments 25, 21, similar to the segments l6, II. From segment 26 and terminal 28, line 2! may connect in load or work 30, with line 3| connected by switch 32 to the terminal 20 in completing the power consuming circuit of a separated portion of the phase thereof. For a single phase current power supply, in step for intermediate separated portion sequence, the terminal 2|, through line 33, load or work 34, has its circuit completed by line 35 to terminal 36 at the segment 21.

With power supply current at lines 38 to the motor 4 operating such motor in synchronism with say sixty cycle single phase electric current power supply, and the motor 4 operating at 3600 R. P. M., the segments", I1, 26, 21, are desirably just short of 180 arcs. In fact, with 2" radius, insulation break l8 may be in the region of 2.

To maintain the termini of such segments in proximity to neutral point of the alternating electric current undergoing transmission, advantage has been found to follow in adopting 4" radius for 1800 R. P. M. synchronous drive, 6" radius for 1200 R. P. M., 8" radius for 900 R. P. M., and even 12" radius for 600 R. P. M. With 60 cycle supply current, the phase neutral points at the lower rotation rate for the drive, would occur more frequently in a rotation, requiring less degree or segment arcs.

The shaft 3 desirably has polygonal extension 31 of hexagonal form in cross-section. Keyed thereto by this angular shaft is insulation collar 38' having radial stud 39 engaged by sheet metal tubular sleeve 40 into which at its free or outer radially extending end there enters stem 4| outwardly terminating in fork 42. The opposite arms of this fork 42 as they oppose each other provide parallel engaging portions laterally parallel to the radius of this arm actuator driven in synchronism with the power supply alternating electric current in the circuit 22, 23, hereinshown as single phase. However, this synchronism factor has like utility in polyphase circuit not only for respectively picking out the circuits at the differentdirections of the flow but for leaving so apart or combining as may be desired. The picking out or separating may be for a positive section of the energy from a similar negative section thereof. The separation may be for use in direct current or continuous current motors, especially in motion picture or motion and sound picture operations. Furthermore, the separation may be adapted for battery charging, automobile starters, and welding. In the event the separation at neutral be for more than a half phase, as a full phase thereof, or multiple of half phases even therebeyond, different power consuming circuits, say for opposite or intermittent drives may be of frequency electrically determined by the number of half phases so continuous before separation at neutral. The separation at neutral is herein of importance in power efliciency.

The neutral point is found by oscillating the drive, or rather shifting one point relatively angularly to electric current carrying points or conductors to such extent that such terminally develops dark or no are or sparking for the roller 43 as such roller is traveling in its orbit and engaged at its intermediate reduced portion 44 by the forked arm from the insulation collar 38. The roller is thrown tangentially and may have its weight proportioned to its linear speed for eifective electrical contact with the contact faces of the rings and segments. The roller memher is thus a breaker conductor bridge therebetween with its rolling contact face last delivering or receiving electric current turning away from the contact receiving or delivering faces of the ring and segment as entering upon insulation blocks I5, I8.

It is to be understood upon rotation of the drive arm to have the roller 43 make its swing around a circle at 3600 R. P. M. with 60 cycle current supply for power portion separation, there is one bridging conductor member or roller 43 at each ring I4, 25 of such supply, and that while a roller from the ring I4 is bridging to allow flow of positive electric energy to segment I6, the simultaneously actuated roller 43 is at 180 therefrom completing such circuit with negative current flow between the ring 25 and the segment 26. At the succeeding phase portion of such electric energy, the ring I4 is handling negative current from the segment I I, while the ring 25 is fed with positive current from the segment 21. These successions of half portions may be put into a single power consuming circuit by throwing the switch 32 from the line 3| to line 45, there by cutting out work 30 and putting in work 34' to receive pulsating unidirectional current, with absence of the intermission therefrom which could be had by work 30, when each work is limited to but a half phase and these in one spaced by the half phase of the other. This may be a combining of the unidirectional half phases 48 (Fig. 8) in a close approximation to electric current continuity even from single phase.

The finding of this no voltage or neutral point is readily practically obtained by rocking the motor 4, by means of the handle 6. This adjusting may be slowly and nicely had by observing the roller 43 and bringing to dark position or zero point of the supply current wave at the insulation block I8. Alternatively rocking the roller position may be effected for one phase by the use of'a handle II for a cylinder 8. The cylinder 8 for each phase, thus .allows the operator independently to locate for two phase. or three phase.

As an adjustment is found, locking, by set screw I,

I for the motor adjustment, or set screw I2 for cylinder adjustment, is effective for retention even with continuity of operation. However, upon starting, it is usually convenient to re-locate the neutral point for the adjustment. When using the four segments for the arms of Fig. 6, such segments are of arc extent. In the setup for six arms of Fig. 7, there may be 60 segments 4'! spaced by insulation blocks 48.

In practice hereunder, when operating at a radius of two inches, desirable results have followed in keeping the roller diameter to or Under the speed of operation, terminal cutout 49 for the roller may be adapted to reduce the thrown weight of surface. contact for the roller, in lieu of or with selection of mass or gravity for .the material of the conductor roller. In this connection, it is desirable that the relation between the contact surface and the roller, during relative travel therebetween, be such as to maintain rolling contact at all times. This increases the efiiciency of the theoretical line contact of the roller with the surface. The practical value sought and achieved hereunder is that this contact not exceed one half the width of the insulation block I8, 48.

In lieu of the rollers 43 traveling around the axis of the shaft extension 31, these rollers may be held in adjusted position as to this axis and conductor elements may be mounted upon the shaft to rotate therewith and contact the rollers (Figs. 9, 12, 13). insulation sleeve 50, upon which are mounted conductor elements 5I, 52, 53, as one unit, and conductor elements 54, 55, 56, as an adjacent unit. The showing (Fig. 9) disclosing this pair of adjacent units may handle single phase current and additional pairs of elements may be added in proper alignment for two phase and three phase as may be desired.

A. C. current supply is carried to the device or converter by the lines 22, 23. Line 22 extends to brush 5'I, thence to the element 5I having shoul- To this end shaft 31 mounts I 5I is insulated from the element 52 by means of circular'insulation plate 59, while element 52 is insulated from element 53 by means of semi-circular insulation plates 60, BI, and insulation blocks or spacers 62. The element 52 has shoulder 63 approximately in extent and in the same plane as shoulder 64. The shoulders 63, 64, with the insulation spacers 62, provide a cylindrical continuous peripheral face in contact with the roller 43 so that in a 360 or one complete revolution of the shaft 31, current will flow from the element 5I through the roller 43 into the element 52 for approximately 180, and then into the element 53 for approximately 180, and current flow is. taken alternately from the element 52 through brush 65 and then from the element 53 through brush 66. Line 61 from brush 65 and line 68 from brush 66 carry power supply therefrom. The unit formed by the elements 54, 55, 56, is similar to this previously described element, and the A. C. current flow is by the line 23 to brush 69, through shoulder 18 of element 56, through a roller 43 and for 180 through shoulder H of element 55, thence to brush I2 and line I3 to the line 68.

For the other approximately rotation, current flows from the roller 43 through shoulder 14 of the element 54, thence through brush l5 and line 16 to the line 61. The elements 54, 55, 56, are insulated by the insulation members 59, 50, GI, 62.

As the shaft 31 makes one complete revolution, the current flow is from the line 22 to the line 23 for 180, and from the line 23 to the line 22' for the other 180. However, the alternate pick up and breaking of the current flow at zero or neutral causes a unidirectional current flow through lines 61, 68, with no sparking at the breaking. The brushes extend through insulation members TI (mounted in frame 18, which also provide bearings 19 for the shaft 3, 31. The brushes are maintained in contact with their respective elementsby meanso'f spring fingers 80. The rollers 43 are centrally supported by insulation members 8| extending into the grooves 44, normally urged toward the conductor elements by means of springs 82 in cup members 83, which cup members are shiftable in ways 84 circumferentially about the axis of the shaft 31 and may be locked in adjusted position by wing nuts 85. As the machine is started, the motor 5 may be rocked by the handle 6 to ascertain and fix the zero point or the zero point may be found by adjustment of either or both rollers 43.

In some instances it may be desired to positively drive the roller 43. To this end, an insulation member 59 may be provided with an endless series of peripheral teeth 86 in mesh with teeth 81 on the roller 43. This is a safeguard against sliding contact to maintain the same lineal speed for the roller surface and the cylindrical face contacted thereby.

The handling of the electric current is accordingly effective for definite control, whether the sections of current be spaced in succession in a controlled resulting circuit by intermediate half phase or greater portions, or whether the half phases be so combined from a single phase supply as to produce a single pulsating unidirectional current or even in the building up therewith of plural phases.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A converter comprising a synchronous m0- tor, an alternating current supply therefor, a ring member carrying individual segmented arcuate current contacts, some of which are connected to supply and others to delivery terminals, a rolling conductor member driven by said motor and arranged to electrically connect and disconnect certain of said supply and delivery contacts at intervals synchronized with respect to the motor frequency, whereby the rolling member conductor engagement is limited to approximate a radial region of the rolling member, and means for effecting relative angular phase adjustment between said ring member and said rolling membet, to enable interruption and connection of the current near a zero point of the current wave.

2. A converter comprising a synchronous motor, an alternating current supply therefor, a ring member carrying individual segmented arcuate current contacts, some of which are connected to the alternating current supply and others to delivery terminals, a rolling conductor member driven by said motor and arranged to electrically connect and disconnect certain of said supply and delivery contacts at intervals synchronized with respect to the supply frequency, whereby the rolling member conductor engagement is limited to approximate a radial region of the rolling member, and means for effecting relative angular phase adjustment between said ring member and said rolling member, to enable interruption and connection of the supply current near a zero point of the current wave.

3. A converter comprising a synchronous motor, an alternating current supply therefor,-ring members, one at least carrying individual segmented arcuate current contacts, some of which are connected to supply and others to delivery terminals, a rolling conductor member bridging between said ring members, driven by said motor and arranged to electrically connect and disconnect certain of said supply and delivery contacts at intervals synchronized with respect to the motor frequency, whereby said rolling member approximates line contact effectiveness for conductor engagement in operation, and means for effecting relative angular phase adjustment between said segmented ring member and said r011- ing member, to enable interruption and connection of the current near a zero point of the current wave.

4. A converter comprising a synchronous motor, an alternating current supply therefor, ring members, one at least carrying individual segmented arcuate current contacts, some of which are connected to supply and others to delivery terminals, a rolling conductor member bridging between said ring members, a shaft from said motor directly actuating said member and arranged to electrically connect and disconnect certain of said supply and delivery contacts at intervals synchronized with respect to the motor frequency, whereby said rolling member approximates line contact effectiveness for conductor engagement in operation, and a holder mounting the members and shiftable to effect relative angular phase adjustment between said segmented ring member and said rolling member, to enable interruption and connection of the current near a zero point of the current wave.

HARRY R. FOWLER. 

